About Quilling

What is Quilling?

Quilling or Paper Filigree is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. It is believed the art has been practiced since ancient Egyptian and/or 4th Century Grecian times. It is believed that they used thin metal wires and examples have been found on containers, especially boxes. Egyptian tombs have also been found to contain wire shapes akin to modern quilling. Similar silver and gold wires were found in the 4th and 5th century adorning vases and pillars.

During the Renaissance, nuns and monks picked up the art to decorate book covers and religious items. The paper most commonly used were gilded strips torn from books. They used these gilded paper strips to imitate the original metal wires. The name quilling is said to be derived from the fact that the nuns and monks originally used feather quills as their tool to roll the paper.

The paper was wound around a quill to create the basic coil shape and then shaped to form flowers, leaves, and other ornamental patterns. Many of the pieces that have been preserved from this time are found adorning religious plaques. Quilling then spread throughout Europe and to the Americas.

Quilling is seeing a resurgence in popularity today. The craft has become increasingly popular due to the low cost of the basic material, paper, that is required to make the shapes. It is often used to decorate wedding invitations, birth announcements, greeting cards and such..

Basic Tools and Materials

The basic quilling shapes are made by taking strips of paper and rolling them into tight or loose coils. These coils are then formed into various shapes. The shapes are grouped together to make any design or pattern that you can imagine.

There are two types of tools that are used, the Slotted tool and the Needle tool. It is not necessary to use mechanical tools, many quillers use their fingers, or finger rolling, in addition to hat pins, straight pins, toothpicks, needles, dowels, or any thin, stick-like object that can be used to wind the paper.

The paper is typically cut into strips of varying widths. Common widths are 1/8″ (.3 cm), 1/4″ (.6 cm), 1/2″ (1.3 cm), and 3/8″ (1.6 cm). The 1/8″ (.3 cm) width is most commonly used for quilling and referenced in many patterns. Papers today come in many colors and types. Although some people cut their own paper, there are a growing number of retailers that offer a variety of papers.

In general, a combination of tight winding, loosening, curling, creasing and gluing are used to form the designs.

Some of the additional tools that quillers use are:

Glue - any white glue that dries clear can be used
Wax paper or a clear sheet protector - used to protect your work surface while you are working with the added benefit that the quilled pieces will come up easily to be attached to your project
Scissors - for cutting shapes
Ruler - for measuring your paper strips and to help with keeping your work straight and your shapes consistent sizes
Damp cloth or sponge to keep your fingers from getting sticky
Tweezers to pick up your quilled pieces and arrange them in your design

Patterns and Such

Want to take the next step and give quilling a twirl? Check out instructions for making the basic shapes and lots of free quilling patterns.

Enjoy!

For Personal Use Only - Not for Resale or Commercial Use.
Pattern may not be copied, distributed or sold without permission of the Artist.
Copyright 2007 to present to Antonella DeFalco, original creator of the pattern.
All Rights Reserved.